You're driving down the interstate at the max speed allowed (and then some if you're honest), and just as you top the hill going down into a valley you notice a sea of red and blue flashing lights. Cars, trucks, and ambulances are packed together and are rapidly approaching as you begin the decent into the valley. You step on your brakes without hesitation and with full confidence believing that this mechanical system will enact the pads to grip your wheels and slow your car to a stop before you plow into the oncoming maze of idle vehicles. When you saw all the red and blue flashing lights, without thinking, you knew exactly what you had to do--step on the brakes! It was instinct. You didn't even give a thought to the fact that your brakes might not work. Why not? It was because you had used them so many times in the past and they worked perfectly. Each and every time you applied your brakes in the past, they worked to stop your car. So, at this moment, you had no reason to doubt they would work just as they had in the past. Right?
Well, many times in our lives we come upon crisis' in our lives. We are traveling down life's road at warp speed and without warning, boom! You're told you or a loved one has cancer, or you are fired from your job, or you find out that your spouse has been unfaithful, etc. What do you do at that point? Do you get down and give up? Do you blame God? Do you complain to everyone you know about how you were wronged? Do you rebel and seek to get revenge? What do you do?
What we should do is to remember that just like the confidence we have in our car's brakes, we can have confidence in our God. If you look back over your life, you will see that He has brought you through and over so many obstacles in the past. Remember that healthy child you have? God did that. Remember that meal that was delivered to your house when you were sick? God did that. Remember that friend that stopped by and cheered you up by laughing and telling of old stories? God did that too.
We can have the same confidence in God that we have in other areas of our lives. Our faith and confidence in our faith is fueled by looking back at our lives and reminding ourselves of how God has helped us in the past. "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 . Looking back helps us look forward!
So, the next time you apply your brakes in your car, let that be a reminder to you to trust God. If we can put that much trust in something that is man made, we can certainly put that and more trust into our Lord knowing that he has and will continue to care for us, his children.
God Bless!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
3rd Annual Christ Over Cancer Day of Hope
September 25th at 2pm will be our 3rd annual Christ Over Cancer Day of Hope presented at Woodlawn Church of Christ in Florence, Alabama. Each year this event has grown and we are excited and expecting 2011 to be our most encouraging day yet. This year's event will again feature inspiring stories of hope told by Christian cancer survivors. Also Dr. Robert Mann, a well known Christian physician in Florence, AL, will be speaking on the role of medicine and spirituality. We will have uplifting and encouraging songs performed by CORNERSTONE singing group from Faulkner University. Finally, the 3rd edition of the Christ Over Cancer book will be available for the first time. The newest edition has more stories and devotional thoughts meant to give hope to those dealing with cancer.
We will have a great reception following the event where survivors, caregivers and others will have a chance to encourage and fellowship with one another. We hope you will be able to attend and, "Be prepared to be INSPIRED!" If you have any questions, please call us at 256.767.3170.
We will have a great reception following the event where survivors, caregivers and others will have a chance to encourage and fellowship with one another. We hope you will be able to attend and, "Be prepared to be INSPIRED!" If you have any questions, please call us at 256.767.3170.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Its Great To See You Again
Last year when my family moved, we inherited a little black dog named Jake. Little Jake probably has more breeds in his DNA than Donald Trump has houses. Jake is a mutt if there ever was a mutt. He's never going to win a dog show and no one can accuse him of being the smartest tool in the shed. However, Jake packs more love in his 20 lb frame than most people could muster up in a lifetime.
Whether its raining, sleeting, snowing or sunny, when I pull in my driveway at home, Jake launches himself off the porch and runs to meet my car. He runs beside the car all the way to the garage with his tail wagging back and forth faster than a duck jumping on a june bug. Every single time I leave and come back, it is the same reception. He sits down in front of me with the most hopeful eyes when I get out of the car, just begging for me to spend time with him, to relax and love him. He gives me his utmost attention and there is no place he would rather be than sitting beside me on the steps giving me all the love that he has.
Wouldn't it be nice to have someone each day that is so happy to see you, talk to you , love you and spend time with you? Someone that doesn't carry grudges and only begs for our attention? God is that someone. He never gets tired of hearing you talk, He has endless amounts love and He is ALWAYS happy to see you and spend time with you. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on because of a health issue or someone to talk to when the kids have all gone off to college. He meets you every day, so happy to see you again and is begging for you to spend time with HIM! Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
So, spend some time today with God, you'll be happy you did.
Whether its raining, sleeting, snowing or sunny, when I pull in my driveway at home, Jake launches himself off the porch and runs to meet my car. He runs beside the car all the way to the garage with his tail wagging back and forth faster than a duck jumping on a june bug. Every single time I leave and come back, it is the same reception. He sits down in front of me with the most hopeful eyes when I get out of the car, just begging for me to spend time with him, to relax and love him. He gives me his utmost attention and there is no place he would rather be than sitting beside me on the steps giving me all the love that he has.
Wouldn't it be nice to have someone each day that is so happy to see you, talk to you , love you and spend time with you? Someone that doesn't carry grudges and only begs for our attention? God is that someone. He never gets tired of hearing you talk, He has endless amounts love and He is ALWAYS happy to see you and spend time with you. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on because of a health issue or someone to talk to when the kids have all gone off to college. He meets you every day, so happy to see you again and is begging for you to spend time with HIM! Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
So, spend some time today with God, you'll be happy you did.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
What Side of The Fence Are You On?
There are few things more beautiful to me than a huge green pasture dotted with massive oak trees, outlined with a white split rail fence, and sprinkled with multi-colored horses. Not far from my house, is a horse farm where that scene is a reality. I drive by the farm several times a week and think, wow, those horses have it made. They have plenty of green pastures to eat and roam, trees to stand under to get shade, this must be what horses dream about when they sleep.
Recently though, I drove by and saw one of these "lucky" horses with his head stretched through the white fence trying with all of his might to eat some of the grass on the other side of the fence. I thought to myself, that horse has lost his mind. He has acres upon acres of beautiful grass to eat, but he's twisting and turning trying with all his might to eat the grass that is on the other side of the fence which is no better than the grass he has on his side of the fence. Crazy right?
Then it hit me, we all at times are a lot like that "lucky" horse. God has blessed each of us with so much, but we are often not happy, not satisfied, not content. We want the bigger house, nicer car, better body, etc., because it's something we don't have. Even though our needs are currently met, when we see what's on the "other side of the fence," we suddenly are not happy and become fixated on the other side. So, what is behind this insatiable appetite for the other side? How do we reverse this trend? It's all about contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says, Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Remind yourself of times when God has provided for you, remind yourself of the blessings you currently have. We all can look around and see others whose lives are much worse than ours. Contentment is not a "feeling", it is a conscious effort we must make to realize our blessings. Reminding ourselves of God's blessings in our lives helps us remain content and not longing for the "other side of the fence." This even applies to those suffering with health problems like cancer. It is so easy to get a case of the "poor me" disease. But, remind yourself of what you CAN do -- not what you CAN'T do. Can you walk, talk, bathe, read, without assistance? If so, focus on those blessings and use them to somehow help someone else. It could always be worse than it is.
So, look around at the green pastures in your own life and remind yourself that your side of the fence is not a bad place to be!
God Bless!
Recently though, I drove by and saw one of these "lucky" horses with his head stretched through the white fence trying with all of his might to eat some of the grass on the other side of the fence. I thought to myself, that horse has lost his mind. He has acres upon acres of beautiful grass to eat, but he's twisting and turning trying with all his might to eat the grass that is on the other side of the fence which is no better than the grass he has on his side of the fence. Crazy right?
Then it hit me, we all at times are a lot like that "lucky" horse. God has blessed each of us with so much, but we are often not happy, not satisfied, not content. We want the bigger house, nicer car, better body, etc., because it's something we don't have. Even though our needs are currently met, when we see what's on the "other side of the fence," we suddenly are not happy and become fixated on the other side. So, what is behind this insatiable appetite for the other side? How do we reverse this trend? It's all about contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says, Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Remind yourself of times when God has provided for you, remind yourself of the blessings you currently have. We all can look around and see others whose lives are much worse than ours. Contentment is not a "feeling", it is a conscious effort we must make to realize our blessings. Reminding ourselves of God's blessings in our lives helps us remain content and not longing for the "other side of the fence." This even applies to those suffering with health problems like cancer. It is so easy to get a case of the "poor me" disease. But, remind yourself of what you CAN do -- not what you CAN'T do. Can you walk, talk, bathe, read, without assistance? If so, focus on those blessings and use them to somehow help someone else. It could always be worse than it is.
So, look around at the green pastures in your own life and remind yourself that your side of the fence is not a bad place to be!
God Bless!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Stand Up To The Bully!
Let's try something.... take your index finger and poke your arm one time. That was harmless...right? Okay, now poke that same spot on your arm 25 times. Still harmless, although bordering on somewhat annoying...right? Now, imagine poking that same spot on your arm 10,000 times without stopping. More than likely, you would have a sore arm. You would probably also have a bruise on the surface of your arm which is a sign of broken capillaries underneath your skin where the real injury lies.
This analogy is played out every day in our lives between ourselves and the ultimate "bully", the devil. We all have something in our lives that is vulnerable and is easy prey to the devil. It may be worry about our health, it may be worry about our financial situation, our kids or marriages or a combination of several things that the devil can "poke" until we are broken. At first, we try to handle these "pokes" ourselves thinking no one will ever know. However, over time, there are some visible signs that we are struggling. But, the real hurt is inside our hearts where our family and friends cannot see. As the "poking" continues and the devil's smile widens, the pain and bruising mounts and we can become lost in our struggle and lose our focus on God which is exactly what the "ultimate bully" desires.
The good news is that while the devil is the ultimate bully, God is the "ultimate principal." He can expel the devil from our lives and stop the "poking." He sees what others can't see and he can do what others can't do. We are told in 1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." We are told in verses 9 and following to resist the devil, to stand firm in the faith and that God will himself restore you and make you strong and firm. But, how do we do that? How do we keep our thoughts from drifting to these worrisome areas where the devil preys?
God tells us how to do this in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." In other words, FOCUS on the good and not the bad. Stay busy and focused on the good things in this life. Check on the sick, volunteer, surprise a friend that's having a rough time and buy them lunch, play games with your children and more. If we can focus on the RIGHT things and thereby stand up to the bully, the bullying WILL STOP! God Bless!
This analogy is played out every day in our lives between ourselves and the ultimate "bully", the devil. We all have something in our lives that is vulnerable and is easy prey to the devil. It may be worry about our health, it may be worry about our financial situation, our kids or marriages or a combination of several things that the devil can "poke" until we are broken. At first, we try to handle these "pokes" ourselves thinking no one will ever know. However, over time, there are some visible signs that we are struggling. But, the real hurt is inside our hearts where our family and friends cannot see. As the "poking" continues and the devil's smile widens, the pain and bruising mounts and we can become lost in our struggle and lose our focus on God which is exactly what the "ultimate bully" desires.
The good news is that while the devil is the ultimate bully, God is the "ultimate principal." He can expel the devil from our lives and stop the "poking." He sees what others can't see and he can do what others can't do. We are told in 1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." We are told in verses 9 and following to resist the devil, to stand firm in the faith and that God will himself restore you and make you strong and firm. But, how do we do that? How do we keep our thoughts from drifting to these worrisome areas where the devil preys?
God tells us how to do this in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." In other words, FOCUS on the good and not the bad. Stay busy and focused on the good things in this life. Check on the sick, volunteer, surprise a friend that's having a rough time and buy them lunch, play games with your children and more. If we can focus on the RIGHT things and thereby stand up to the bully, the bullying WILL STOP! God Bless!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Til The Storm Passes By
Lately it seems we have had our fair share of storms in our lives hasn't it. In Alabama, we had a record number of tornadoes on April 27th that destroyed businesses, houses, churches, and most notably, took people's lives. Now, we are seeing a replay of this bad memory in Joplin, Missouri. The sifting through debris, the cries, the blank stares as people walk around....are all too eerily familiar. They wonder why this happened? Why didn't God protect them? Why me? Why, Why, Why?
Similar questions are asked by the 34 year old father of 3 young children after he finds out that he has stomach cancer. The whirlwind of cancer is a totally different storm, but the questions are the same. Why, Why, Why?
Only one knows the answers to these questions. However, James chapter 1 gives us some guidance on how we should react during these storms...... "2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
The fact that you are still here tells you that God isn't finished with you yet. He's just working on you. He's preparing you for HIS work. We all have a purpose in this life. That purpose just might be showing others how CALM you can be during your life's STORM. That purpose just might be helping someone get through their STORM in life because you've been through a similar STORM in your own life.
Storms come and go, but God is constant. His ways are higher than our ways. He sees and knows the future and just as we tell our kids..."this is for your own good," the same holds true for us. Even though it pains Him to see us suffer, He knows that he can use this storm for HIS good in the future.
No matter what type of storm you have endured in life, take shelter in God. Read His words, pray to Him, and look for ways to glorify Him no matter your storm in life. He will keep you safe til the storm passes by!
Similar questions are asked by the 34 year old father of 3 young children after he finds out that he has stomach cancer. The whirlwind of cancer is a totally different storm, but the questions are the same. Why, Why, Why?
Only one knows the answers to these questions. However, James chapter 1 gives us some guidance on how we should react during these storms...... "2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
The fact that you are still here tells you that God isn't finished with you yet. He's just working on you. He's preparing you for HIS work. We all have a purpose in this life. That purpose just might be showing others how CALM you can be during your life's STORM. That purpose just might be helping someone get through their STORM in life because you've been through a similar STORM in your own life.
Storms come and go, but God is constant. His ways are higher than our ways. He sees and knows the future and just as we tell our kids..."this is for your own good," the same holds true for us. Even though it pains Him to see us suffer, He knows that he can use this storm for HIS good in the future.
No matter what type of storm you have endured in life, take shelter in God. Read His words, pray to Him, and look for ways to glorify Him no matter your storm in life. He will keep you safe til the storm passes by!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Joy To The World
Do you have anyone in your life that just exudes joy 100% of the time? Well, I do. There is a little guy at our congregation that has the biggest smile on his face all the time. I mean "ALL THE TIME." Every time I see him, he smiles that huge grin and says with sincere joy...."Hey Mr. Marty, How are you?" We exchange our usual conversation... I tease him about girls and his new found mustache and then we talk about Alabama sports. He never fails to make me smile. I look so forward to saying hello to him b/c his attitude is so contagious. Even my 12 year old son said, "you know dad, you can't help but be in a good mood around that guy." So, our little buddy doesn't even know it, but he is affecting so many people in a positive way by sharing his God given joy with others.
God wants the same for us. It is so easy to let the circumstances of the day take control of our attitude. Happiness and sadness are really based on short term situations/circumstances. The trouble is that we allow those short term "feelings" to become our long term outlook. No matter our situation, God wants us to have joy and exude joy. The joy comes from knowing we are in His hands and that He will work things out for the best as we travel towards our eternal home. Joy is God’s gift to every believer. It is the fruit that His Spirit produces within you (Galatians 5:22) from the moment you receive the Gospel (John 15:11). This joy increases as you study and obey God’s Word (1 John 1:4).
We can affect so many people in a more positive way if we choose to be joyful no matter our situation. It really is contagious. Showing and spreading joy may be one of the best ways to show Christ's living example to others. No matter what your current situation may be, make the effort today to be joyful and see what a difference it makes! God Bless!
God wants the same for us. It is so easy to let the circumstances of the day take control of our attitude. Happiness and sadness are really based on short term situations/circumstances. The trouble is that we allow those short term "feelings" to become our long term outlook. No matter our situation, God wants us to have joy and exude joy. The joy comes from knowing we are in His hands and that He will work things out for the best as we travel towards our eternal home. Joy is God’s gift to every believer. It is the fruit that His Spirit produces within you (Galatians 5:22) from the moment you receive the Gospel (John 15:11). This joy increases as you study and obey God’s Word (1 John 1:4).
We can affect so many people in a more positive way if we choose to be joyful no matter our situation. It really is contagious. Showing and spreading joy may be one of the best ways to show Christ's living example to others. No matter what your current situation may be, make the effort today to be joyful and see what a difference it makes! God Bless!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Frogitude!
Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs....who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower
to see the race and cheer on the contestants.... The race began... Honestly: No one in the crowd really believed that
the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!" The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one.... Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher....The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up.... But ONE continued higher and higher and higher.... This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower.
Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort,
was the only one who reached the top! THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to
know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out.... That the winner was DEAF!!!! The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic....because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have.
Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be....POSITIVE!And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams! This is from an email I received, but thought it very worthy to share...
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Little Things Mean A Lot
Several years ago, I had a friend that was moving his family to a new home. With three children, two of which were twins, his family had a lot of STUFF. Anyone that has moved can sympathize with the overwhelming feeling that comes with a move. The feeling that you will never get it all done, needing something that has already been packed, forgetting to schedule utility changes, etc. Moving can be very daunting.
In the middle of this chaos which was happening in the thick Alabama summer heat, my buddy said someone did something he will never forget. Without asking, a dear sister from my friend's church pulled up with cups, ice, and a big jug of sweet tea. In the South, we love our sweet tea and this dear sister knew the movers needed a break. My friend said that small act of kindness made a huge impact on him. To some, it was just a glass of tea. But, to my friend, it was a reminder that someone really cared about his family and just wanted to do something to make their chaotic day a little better. Making and taking tea wasn't a big deal to the good sister, but it was a huge deal to my friend.
Never underestimate how a small act of kindness can impact someone else's life. It could be a call or card to a person that is sick. It could be taking someone to lunch that has been having a tough time in life. Or, it could be as simple as buying someone a cup of coffee at work that has had a bad day. It doesn't have to be a big act to be a big blessing. Look for the little things in life that you can do to make a big impact for someone else.
God Bless!
In the middle of this chaos which was happening in the thick Alabama summer heat, my buddy said someone did something he will never forget. Without asking, a dear sister from my friend's church pulled up with cups, ice, and a big jug of sweet tea. In the South, we love our sweet tea and this dear sister knew the movers needed a break. My friend said that small act of kindness made a huge impact on him. To some, it was just a glass of tea. But, to my friend, it was a reminder that someone really cared about his family and just wanted to do something to make their chaotic day a little better. Making and taking tea wasn't a big deal to the good sister, but it was a huge deal to my friend.
Never underestimate how a small act of kindness can impact someone else's life. It could be a call or card to a person that is sick. It could be taking someone to lunch that has been having a tough time in life. Or, it could be as simple as buying someone a cup of coffee at work that has had a bad day. It doesn't have to be a big act to be a big blessing. Look for the little things in life that you can do to make a big impact for someone else.
God Bless!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Complaining Virus
Viruses are no fun. They cut us off from our family and friends. They make your entire body feel horrible. Plus, no matter how hard we try not to, viruses always affect someone else we care about negatively. None of us would willingly expose ourselves to such a virus. The problem is that most viruses can't be seen, so we are exposed and become infected and the cycle just goes on and on.
However, there is one virus that is visible and one that can be avoided and that is the complaining virus. We all have seen this aggressive virus in action, heaven forbid, we might have had or have the virus ourselves!! Either way, people infected with this virus often find that their friends stop calling them because they are no fun to be around. The friends that do call find themselves complaining to others as well. It's a highly contagious virus. Symptoms include unhappiness, low self esteem, few friends, and an overall feeling of irritability. Indirect symptoms can also include overlooked smiles, underappreciation for beautiful sunshine and generally taking for granted the ability to walk, talk, hear and love.
So, how do we avoid it and if we have it, what is the prescription for getting rid of it? To avoid it, stay away from those infected as much as possible as it can creep into your daily conversations easily without warning. To rid yourself of this virus if you're currently infected, grab a pen and paper and start a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down three things that were good that day. It can be as small as all the traffic lights were green on my drive to work. Be diligent about it though and write every night in your journal. You will find that your brain begins looking for positive things during the day and not focusing on negative things. A 2nd prescription is to pray for God to give you a pause before you complain so you can select your words and change them before they are spoken. Soon, you will be feeling better than ever.
When things are not going our way, whether it be sickness or some other unfortunate situation, we all have a tendency to complain. But, complaining is a waste of time and words and it hurts more than we know. The Bible addresses it in this way... "No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear " -Ephesians 4:29 . Let's make every effort we can to stop the spreading of the complaining virus. We'll all be better without it!! God Bless!!!
However, there is one virus that is visible and one that can be avoided and that is the complaining virus. We all have seen this aggressive virus in action, heaven forbid, we might have had or have the virus ourselves!! Either way, people infected with this virus often find that their friends stop calling them because they are no fun to be around. The friends that do call find themselves complaining to others as well. It's a highly contagious virus. Symptoms include unhappiness, low self esteem, few friends, and an overall feeling of irritability. Indirect symptoms can also include overlooked smiles, underappreciation for beautiful sunshine and generally taking for granted the ability to walk, talk, hear and love.
So, how do we avoid it and if we have it, what is the prescription for getting rid of it? To avoid it, stay away from those infected as much as possible as it can creep into your daily conversations easily without warning. To rid yourself of this virus if you're currently infected, grab a pen and paper and start a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down three things that were good that day. It can be as small as all the traffic lights were green on my drive to work. Be diligent about it though and write every night in your journal. You will find that your brain begins looking for positive things during the day and not focusing on negative things. A 2nd prescription is to pray for God to give you a pause before you complain so you can select your words and change them before they are spoken. Soon, you will be feeling better than ever.
When things are not going our way, whether it be sickness or some other unfortunate situation, we all have a tendency to complain. But, complaining is a waste of time and words and it hurts more than we know. The Bible addresses it in this way... "No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear " -Ephesians 4:29 . Let's make every effort we can to stop the spreading of the complaining virus. We'll all be better without it!! God Bless!!!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Father Knows Best
Sixteen year old Lance Edwards stood at the top of the steps and took a deep breath before he went to talk to his Dad. Lance desperately wanted to go visit his cousin Tom and spend the weekend with Tom and his friends at the Univ. of Florida. Tom had told Lance that this was a big football weekend in Gainesville and that there would be lots of parties going on. The thought of being around the college atmosphere was exciting to Lance, and the only obstacle between Lance and his big weekend was getting the "okay" from his Dad.
Lance presented his case to his Dad and was beyond furious when his Dad quickly said "No." "But why?" were the first two words that scrolled out of Lance's mouth. Lance's Dad replied that Lance wasn't ready for that atmosphere. He told Lance that there would be temptations in that setting that Lance, a youthful 16 year old, wasn't ready to tackle. He continued that he knew what was best in this situation and that Lance needed to trust him. Lance continued to shoot back how unfair this was because other friends his age were going, that his Dad must not love him because he wouldn't let him go, and that he just didn't understand why his Dad would do this to him.
That weekend in Gainesville, the Gators lost the big game. There were fights all over town. Tom and his friends were at a fraternity party when a fight broke out and Tom and several friends were arrested for assault that weekend. When Lance heard what had happened, he was so glad his Dad had not let him go to Gainesville that weekend. He thought, maybe Dad knows more that I give him credit for.....
Seems that we all have been a "Lance" at one time or another in our lives. We pray to God for a cure, a job, a spouse, etc and when things don't work out exactly as WE want, we start saying...."Why not", "This is unfair", "Everybody else does it", "God must not love me". God simply says... "TRUST ME!" Though we may hate to admit it, our earthly fathers usually do know what is best for us and our heavenly father always knows what is best for us . It may not be what we want, but we can always TRUST that God will do what is best for us in every situation. As time goes on, we can always see how God's decisions are always the best decisions.
God Bless!
Lance presented his case to his Dad and was beyond furious when his Dad quickly said "No." "But why?" were the first two words that scrolled out of Lance's mouth. Lance's Dad replied that Lance wasn't ready for that atmosphere. He told Lance that there would be temptations in that setting that Lance, a youthful 16 year old, wasn't ready to tackle. He continued that he knew what was best in this situation and that Lance needed to trust him. Lance continued to shoot back how unfair this was because other friends his age were going, that his Dad must not love him because he wouldn't let him go, and that he just didn't understand why his Dad would do this to him.
That weekend in Gainesville, the Gators lost the big game. There were fights all over town. Tom and his friends were at a fraternity party when a fight broke out and Tom and several friends were arrested for assault that weekend. When Lance heard what had happened, he was so glad his Dad had not let him go to Gainesville that weekend. He thought, maybe Dad knows more that I give him credit for.....
Seems that we all have been a "Lance" at one time or another in our lives. We pray to God for a cure, a job, a spouse, etc and when things don't work out exactly as WE want, we start saying...."Why not", "This is unfair", "Everybody else does it", "God must not love me". God simply says... "TRUST ME!" Though we may hate to admit it, our earthly fathers usually do know what is best for us and our heavenly father always knows what is best for us . It may not be what we want, but we can always TRUST that God will do what is best for us in every situation. As time goes on, we can always see how God's decisions are always the best decisions.
God Bless!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Expect The Unexpected
It had been six months since his last cancer checkup. For five months and 30 days, with God's help, he had been able to shift focus away from the reminders of chemotherapy, white blood cells and oncologists. But, today, the evil one kept his mind racing with the what if scenarios. What if the doctor walks in and says, "well, looks like the cancer is back." What if the cancer is back and the treatment doesn't work this time. What if, what if , what if.... and they continue on and on. As he makes the drive to the oncologist's office that morning, he feels the pit in his stomach, the nervousness makes his legs shake and he takes deep breaths to calm himself. Then he decides to say one last prayer and beg God for good results and to ask for God to be with him during this visit. He says AMEN and takes a deep breath just wanting this morning to be over.
At the traffic light, he takes the moment to look around him and then back in front of his car. All of a sudden his eyes widen and he can't believe what he is seeing. The tag of the car in front of him is a personalized tag. The tag reads.... ULBFINE.... (translated-you'll be fine). He closes his eyes and looks again to make sure he read it correctly. Yes, that is what it said. People can write it off as coincidence if they want, but he knows the statistical likelihood of this happening at this moment in his life is astronomical. He knows that that tag is GOD's answer to his prayer. A peace overcame him and he walked into the oncologist office and received the news from the doctor that he knew he would....everything is fine. This is a true story.... I am sure of this because it happened to me.
Now God doesn't always work this way. He's not a vending machine where we put in a request and get something back immediately. However, he works in mysterious ways and answers prayers in ways that HE knows is best for each of us. This experience may never happen again, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. These intimate experiences with God, may not happen in this way often, but when they do happen, they strengthen our faith and the faith of those with whom we share the experience.
Consider this story from Mark 9:
Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."
19 He replied to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me." 20 So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 "How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father.
"From childhood," he said. 22 "And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23 Then Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' Everything is possible to the one who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief
So, no matter your situation, pray to God and believe that you will receive when you pray. Expect God to do the unexpected in your life. God's Will is always best and perfect and so we must know and accept that as well when we pray. Pray according to His will and accept his answer, but if we ever expect to receive what we ask for, we must always BELIEVE he will do it.
At the traffic light, he takes the moment to look around him and then back in front of his car. All of a sudden his eyes widen and he can't believe what he is seeing. The tag of the car in front of him is a personalized tag. The tag reads.... ULBFINE.... (translated-you'll be fine). He closes his eyes and looks again to make sure he read it correctly. Yes, that is what it said. People can write it off as coincidence if they want, but he knows the statistical likelihood of this happening at this moment in his life is astronomical. He knows that that tag is GOD's answer to his prayer. A peace overcame him and he walked into the oncologist office and received the news from the doctor that he knew he would....everything is fine. This is a true story.... I am sure of this because it happened to me.
Now God doesn't always work this way. He's not a vending machine where we put in a request and get something back immediately. However, he works in mysterious ways and answers prayers in ways that HE knows is best for each of us. This experience may never happen again, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. These intimate experiences with God, may not happen in this way often, but when they do happen, they strengthen our faith and the faith of those with whom we share the experience.
Consider this story from Mark 9:
Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."
19 He replied to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me." 20 So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 "How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father.
"From childhood," he said. 22 "And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23 Then Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' Everything is possible to the one who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief
So, no matter your situation, pray to God and believe that you will receive when you pray. Expect God to do the unexpected in your life. God's Will is always best and perfect and so we must know and accept that as well when we pray. Pray according to His will and accept his answer, but if we ever expect to receive what we ask for, we must always BELIEVE he will do it.
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